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Friday, May 6, 2016

Rancho Obi-Wan Comes to Dallas' Perot Museum

The Eye of the Collector Exhibit came to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science late last month. It’s a showcase of different collections people have created over the years to reflect their passions. There were several different types of selections to be seen. One person amasses dolls, another Pez Dispensers, and one other Beatles memorabilia. However, I was most interested in “Star Wars” fan Steve Sansweet’s sample of the goods he has accumulated for his Rancho Obi-Wan collection.

Steve was asked to bring enough items from his Petaluma, CA-based Rancho Obi-Wan preservation to fill a display case for the travelling Eye of the Collector Exhibit. It wasn’t hard for Sansweet to do that, as you can tell as soon as you walk up to his section of the display. It’s packed full of props, toys, models, molds, and other rare pieces of “Star Wars” history. He has everything from a crew suit from filming in Norway to pieces of the actual film-used Death Star and a pair of Stormtrooper replica boots.

In case you’re unaware, Rancho Obi-Wan is a non-profit institution with the mission to preserve and display the many different toys, collectibles, and other items that are “Star Wars” related. When walking into the facility, you’ll see action figures, cereal boxes, statues, and actual props used while filming the movies. If “Star Wars” was printed on the object or an actor wore it, Steve Sansweet’s goal is to catalogue it and keep it safe from the elements.

If you’re a fan, the Eye of the Collector Exhibit might be your only chance to see pieces of “Star Wars” history up close. Granted, it’s only a fraction of Steve Sansweet’s Rancho-Obi Wan acquisitions. How many people are going to be able to make a trip to Petaluma to see the whole collection? Some other great displays are the icing on the cake for what I would consider an enjoyable afternoon at the Perot Museum.

The Eye of the Collector Exhibit will be on display at Perot Museum of Nature and Science through September 5th. For more information, go to the museum’s official website.